Mushroom Plug Spawn – King Oyster (Pleurotus Eryngii) Approx. 600-700 qty plugs

King Oyster “Trench & Casing” Log Guide

(The Outdoor “Trench & Casing” Method)

King Oysters (Pleurotus eryngii) are the heavyweights of the oyster mushroom world. Prized for their thick, dense, sweet-tasting stems and small flat caps, they possess a wonderful meaty texture that cooks up exactly like scallops or abalone.

Because King Oysters naturally fruit from the earth, this method requires 6–12 months for the mycelium to fully colonise the logs before burial, but a buried log bed can reward you with massive wild trumpets for 3–5 years.

King Oyster mycelium is slower to run than standard tree oysters and requires direct contact with damp soil to trigger fruiting. They need a cool, seasonal temperature range of 15–21°C to push up through the ground.

(Out of stock? Please allow 2–4 weeks for shipping.)

🛠️ Quick Gear Checklist

• Fresh Hardwood Logs: Soft hardwoods like poplar, willow, alder, or aspen are ideal because King Oyster mycelium is tender and prefers softer wood over dense oak. Cut sections into short, thick rounds (roughly 30 cm long and 20–30 cm wide).

• King Oyster Spawn Plugs: Wooden dowels fully colonised with King Oyster mycelium.

• Drill & Bit: Sized to match the plug diameter for a tight, snug fit.

• Waxing Kit: Food-grade wax, an old pot, and a paintbrush.

• Casing Layer: Clean topsoil, garden soil, or peat moss for the burial phase.

🪵 Step-by-Step Process

1. Age the Wood (2 Weeks)

• Let your freshly cut soft hardwood rounds rest off the ground in a shady spot for about 2 weeks. This allows the tree’s natural anti-fungal defences to drop so the King Oyster mycelial threads can safely establish.

2. Inoculate & Seal

• Drill: Drill holes in a staggered diamond pattern all over the short log rounds, spacing them closely (5–8 cm apart), to a depth of 1.5 times the plug length.

• Insert: Hammer the King Oyster plugs in until they are completely flush with the bark layer.

• Wax: Melt the wax and paint over every plug hole and both cut ends of the log rounds. This is critical to lock in the internal wood moisture they need during a long incubation.

3. Incubation (6–12 Months)

• Place the log rounds in a warm, deeply shaded, damp outdoor spot. You can stack them upright on top of each other like a totem pole to save space.

• Slip a large, clean plastic bag with a few air holes over the stack, or wrap them loosely in shade cloth to trap humidity.

• Never let them dry out! Hose them down thoroughly 1–2 times a week. It will take 6–12 months for the white mycelium to completely thread through the wood.

🌤️ The King Oyster Secret: The Burial & Fruiting

King Oysters will not fruit in the open air on a log. Once the wood sections are completely colonised and showing fuzzy white mycelium on the surface, you must plant them into the earth.

🔪 Harvesting & Ongoing Bed Care

• When to Pick: Harvest when the mushrooms have pushed up high through the soil and the caps are flat or still slightly curled downward. Because they grow from the ground, they will develop broader, darker caps and sturdier stems than indoor kits.

• How to Pick: Brush away the loose soil at the base of the thick stem, grab the mushroom firmly, twist gently, and pull it clean out of the earth.

• The Rest Period: Let the buried log bed rest for 6–8 weeks between flushes. The underground mycelium will recover and draw more nutrients from the buried wood.

• Long-Term Bed Care: If your region enters a hot summer drought, water your buried log trench with a garden hose once or twice a week to keep the soil deep down from drying out. The soil will naturally insulate the logs from winter freezes, keeping your mushroom bed alive and kicking for up to 5 years!